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EU to triple travel permit fee to 20 euros
EU to triple travel permit fee to 20 euros

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time2 days ago

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EU to triple travel permit fee to 20 euros

Travellers wait in line at the Ottawa International Airport in Ottawa on Thursday, July 3, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick The digital travel permit for foreigners to enter the European Union should cost 20 euros, almost triple the original planned fee, under a proposal published Friday. The adjustment to the yet-to-be implemented ETIAS scheme for visa-exempt nationals comes as the European Commission seeks to boost its financial resources to fund an array of priorities from defence to agriculture. The change reflects inflation and additional operational costs, the commission said. 'It will also bring the cost for a travel authorisation to the EU in line with similar travel authorisation programmes,' the EU's top executive body said. Adopted in 2018, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) regulation originally envisaged a fee of seven euros. Britain's equivalent, known as ETA, comes with a 16 pound fee, while the United States' ESTA permit costs US$21. Obtainable online, the European Union's ETIAS permit will be required for the bloc's 27 countries with the exception of Ireland, as well as for Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The permit, valid for three years, will be required for non-EU nationals from countries whose citizens do not need a visa for short stays in Europe, such as Canada, Britain and the United States. Those aged under 18 or over 70 years will be exempt from the fee. Brussels said the scheme was created to identify security, irregular migration and other risks as well as to facilitate border crossing for regular travellers. But its implementation, which was supposed to go hand-in-hand with a new automated border check system, has suffered from delays. The European Parliament and member states have two months to review the new 20-euro fee, which will enter into effect as soon as ETIAS becomes operational -- now expected for the last quarter of 2026. This week the commission proposed a boosted two-trillion-euro long-term budget for 2028-2034, which has already upset some of the EU countries that will have to chip in most of the money. As part of the blueprint, which is subject to negotiation, Brussels said it will seek to raise about 58 billion euros a year collecting money directly through measures like its carbon border tax and a levy on electronic waste.

60 per cent of Canadians could face higher mortgage payments by 2026: Bank of Canada
60 per cent of Canadians could face higher mortgage payments by 2026: Bank of Canada

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time3 days ago

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60 per cent of Canadians could face higher mortgage payments by 2026: Bank of Canada

Houses are seen in a neighbourhood on Burnaby Mountain, in Burnaby, B.C., on Monday, June 10, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck) Roughly 60 per cent of Canadian mortgage holders will face higher monthly payments when their loans come up for renewal in 2025 and 2026, according to a new Bank of Canada report. In the latest staff analytical note, the bank says that although mortgage interest rates are expected to gradually decline, most borrowers will still see payment increases relative to their current contracts — many of which were signed during periods of lower interest rates. The report estimates that in 2025, homeowners renewing their mortgages will see an average increase of 10 per cent in their monthly payments compared to December 2024 levels. In 2026, the increase is expected to moderate to around six per cent. The payment increases will vary depending on mortgage type. According to the bank, borrowers with fixed-rate mortgages, especially those with five-year terms, are likely to experience the steepest jumps in payments ranging between 15 and 20 per cent on average. These borrowers make up 40 per cent of all mortgages in Canada and are driving the overall upward pressure on renewal payments. While the majority of borrowers will see their payments rise, the bank's analysis shows that not all will be affected equally. For homeowners with variable-rate mortgages that adjust monthly, payments are projected to decrease by five to seven per cent. Meanwhile, those with variable-rate mortgages with fixed payments may see mixed outcomes: around 10 per cent of these borrowers are expected to face increases of more than 40 per cent in 2026, while 25 per cent may see decreases of at least seven per cent. Strain on households budgets Borrowers facing payment increases at renewal are expected to see a sharper rise in their mortgage debt service (MDS) ratio — the share of income spent on mortgage payments — compared to those with payment decreases, the Bank of Canada says. For those with rising payments, the median MDS ratio is projected to climb from 15.3 per cent in December 2024 to 18 per cent by the end of 2026. By contrast, borrowers with decreasing payments will see their median MDS ratio fall from 19.7 per cent to 18.6 per cent. These projections assume no change in income though the bank notes many borrowers likely experienced income growth since their last mortgage term — helping them better manage higher payments. Methodology The bank based its analysis on the assumption that borrowers maintain the same type of mortgage and amortization period at renewal. The amortization period is the process of gradually paying off a debt over a set period of time through regular payments. The bank also used market-implied expectations for interest rates as of June 17 to model future payment scenarios. Despite the anticipated financial pressure, the bank noted that some borrowers may not experience changes if they proactively renegotiate terms or adjust their amortization schedules.

New rules allowing Quebec restaurants to charge for no-shows come into effect
New rules allowing Quebec restaurants to charge for no-shows come into effect

CTV News

time3 days ago

  • Business
  • CTV News

New rules allowing Quebec restaurants to charge for no-shows come into effect

People are shown inside a restaurant in Old Montreal on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes) Quebec restaurant owners can now charge a fee to people who make a reservation but don't show up. Under new rules in effect Thursday, restaurants can charge up to $10 for each no-show. An association representing Quebec restaurant owners has estimated that no-shows cost the average eatery about $49,000 per year. Meanwhile, the Canadian restaurant industry association says Quebec was the only province with consumer protection laws that expressly forbade restaurants from charging no-show fees. Quebec restaurants have to follow a number of rules to apply the fee, including reminding customers of an upcoming reservation and giving them an easy way to cancel. The fee can be applied only to groups of two or more, and only if none of the members of the party shows up. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2025.

‘Pornography is a problem': Smith defends new rules for Alberta school libraries
‘Pornography is a problem': Smith defends new rules for Alberta school libraries

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time7 days ago

  • Politics
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‘Pornography is a problem': Smith defends new rules for Alberta school libraries

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith speaks during a press conference in Edmonton, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson Alberta's premier says 'pornography is a problem for young adults' in remarks defending her government's move to remove sexually explicit content from school library shelves this fall. Danielle Smith was responding to criticism received via text on her provincewide phone-in radio program on Saturday that a lack of education funding and overcrowded classrooms were more important issues than library content. Smith replied it's important the province make sure young children are exposed to age-appropriate material, and that they're 'not exposed to pornographic images early.' On Thursday, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said sexually explicit content must be gone from school library shelves as of Oct. 1, but noted the move is not about book banning. The new policy stems from an announcement Nicolaides made in May after he said four inappropriate coming-of-age graphic novels were found in school libraries in Edmonton and Calgary. Smith encouraged people to go online themselves and view explicit images from the books, telling listeners they'll be scratching their heads wondering how they got into elementary schools in the first place. 'If I am not permitted to describe to you the kind of images that seven-year-olds are seeing because it would offend your audience, then we shouldn't be showing them to seven-year-olds,' Smith said. 'So yeah, I think it's important that we make sure that young children are exposed to age-appropriate material only and that they're not exposed to pornographic images early.' On the question of priorities, Smith said her government is holding consultations with the public and teachers about other issues in schools, such as violence in the classroom. 'That is the biggest issue that we've been hearing from teachers, that in some situations, violent students are making life unsafe for our teachers,' Smith said. The novels in question are written by American authors: 'Gender Queer' by Maia Kobabe, 'Fun Home' by Alison Bechdel, 'Blankets' by Craig Thompson and 'Flamer' by Mike Curato. When Nicolaides announced plans for new rules back in May, Smith posted on social media that 'parents are right to be upset.' As part of the announcement Thursday, Nicolaides issued a list of specific sex acts that can't be explicitly described in library books alongside new rules for what students can read. No students will be allowed to access what the government calls explicit sexual content, including detailed depictions of masturbation, sexual penetration or sexual physical contact. By Jan. 1, new school board policies must be in place dictating how books are selected and reviewed. An online government survey before Thursday's announcement found that the majority of respondents across demographics don't support the government setting new standards for school library books. Alberta Teachers' Association president Jason Schilling said in a statement the new rules will add to teachers' workload, politicize a 'non-issue' and target vulnerable students. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 12, 2025.

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